I am going to Paganello for the first time ever after 10 years of watching it from afar and envying those who have been able to be there. I am really excited about Paga, but more so to see all my friends after almost a year away from Europe.
The first challenge was finding a way to travel to Paganello. After searching for months, I was able to find a good airfare. Once I figured that out, another question appeared: will I compete or just jam? Experiencing Paganello is one thing, but having the experience of competing in Paganello is legendary. Will I feel like I’m missing out by not competing?
The question is actually a bit trickier now because it is so late. There are only a few weeks until Paga, and most players have already teamed up. Usually I have been able to put together superteams of elite players, and that has spoiled me because superteams have a tendency to place well.
No superteam this year, but competing at Paganello with the rising European stars might be just as fun. I had a great time playing in Köln with Flo Hess.
And here is the quandary. In order to compete in Paga, I need to find a team soon, but part of my process for finding a team is finding a bond – jamming with someone, knowing them. For instance, Flo and I had jammed for a few weeks before Köln.
If I compete at Paga, I won’t have a chance to put together the magical Paga team, the team that can capture Paga’s spirit and shred (no matter what our level is). Maybe my team will have magic; maybe it won’t. It will be sort of a blind decision.
So, now I must decide what to do. Will I be happier just jamming, like I did in Berlin? It’s nice to not have to rehearse or warm-up or conserve energy. It’s nice to just watch the competition and take photos. Or will I be happier experiencing Paga through the lens of a competition team. It’s nice to share four minutes of performance.
So, Yendor, and the entire Shrednow community…what should I do? Should I jam or should I compete? Should I compete with you? Should I compete against you? Should I leave my nails at home and go sightseeing?